The Girl Behind the Badge
by C. R. Lane
Summary: Sergeant Nicole Hale of the Baltimore Police Department has wanted nothing more than to become a Texas Ranger. But how will it change her life? Read more to discover just who the girl is behind the badge.
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own Walker, Texas Ranger or claim any rights to anything other than my original characters.**

"I don't believe it," Ranger James Trivette stated flatly as he stared at the computer screen. "She's a cop." His brow furrowed. That was the last thing he had expected.

"Who?" asked his partner Walker, who sat reviewing the papers that cluttered his usually neat desk.

"My best friend in high school, his kid sister is applying to replace Ranger Dawson."

"How many applicants are there?" he said, reminding his friend that that is what he had been doing in the first place.

"Twenty-two," Trivette replied, still unable to take his eyes from the screen.

"And only one position to fill," Walker sighed. All the applicants were young, eager, and talented. The best of the best, but only one could be chosen. There could only be 99 Texas Rangers, and many were waiting for a spot to open. It's hard to turn down such good kids, he thought.

"She comes highly recommended."

"They all do, Trivette." With that, Walker returned to his work. Trivette glanced over the young woman's picture. She looked the same, yet something about her had changed. He still could not imagine the sweet, smiling girl he had once known dealing with violent criminals.

"Sergeant Nicole Hale, Baltimore Police Department," he muttered softly, shaking his head.

The hall was cool, but sweat formed on the palms of Nicole Hale's hands nevertheless. She wiped them on her black slacks as she waited outside the office of the Dallas Texas Ranger Headquarters. Nicole silently scolded herself. She had been through nearly everything possible, this should not make her nervous. But it did.

"You may come in now, Sergeant Hale," smiled a dark haired secretary, peeking out the door. When Nicole rose, she opened it fully and stood aside. She ushered the young woman into the office, asking her to wait. The room was large, filled with desks, chairs, and valuable police equipment. Not to mention, people. She started slightly when someone behind her cleared their throat. Turning around, Nicole smiled at the young African-American man. She glimpsed his badge and instantly knew that the secretary had sent him. She corrected her relaxed stance.

"Sergeant Nicole Hale." The woman stuck out her hand, and he clasped it firmly.

"Hi," was his only reply. He stood there smiling, and she grew more uncomfortable. Hiding it, she raised her brow. Disappointment swept through his eyes. She had not recognized him.

"Oh, uh, James Trivette," he nodded, and watched her eyes dart as she thought. Then she beamed, eyes wide.

"Jimmy?!" He grinned as she threw her arms around him.

"How are you, Nikki?"

"Oh, you don't know how long I've been wanting to talk to you!" she rushed. The slight quiver in her tone disturbed him, but he did not mention it. "Last I heard you were a cop for the DPD. What happened with the Cowboys?" He pulled away.

"Shoulder,"

She gasped, remembering. "The Giant's game, right?" The memory came back to Trivette in a flash. Running with the ball. A glimpse of blue. The heavy pounding of footsteps behind him. Then being hit and his shoulder slammed into the ground. His career in professional football was over.

"Yeah," Trivette nodded.

"I watched," Nicole grimaced, "I watched all your games, actually."

"Thank you," he smiled, then eagerly changed the subject. "Hey, how's Mark doing?" She stiffened, unsettled at the mention of her brother's name.

"I don't know," she shrugged, "We don't talk." His eyes narrowed, taken aback and confused.

"What? Why?"

"It's a long story," Nicole whispered and stepped back as another man approached them.

"Who's this?" The older man asked, smiling slightly. Straightening her stance once again, she extended her hand introducing herself.

"Sergeant Nicole Hale, Sir."

"Cordell Walker." He gave her hand a sturdy pump, looking her in the eye. Within an instant, she had assessed him. His posture depicted a military man, tough and strong, but not hardened by his training. No, this man was kind and, most importantly, trustworthy. "Well," he said, snapping her out of thought. "Let's get on with the interview."

"Oh, yeah," Trivette muttered, for he had nearly forgotten the matter. "This way," he gestured. Ranger Walker offered her a chair then took his own, Trivette sitting beside him.

"Sergeant Hale, why don't you start by telling us a little bit about yourself," he said, resting his arms on his desk. She nodded respectfully.

"Well," she began, steadying her voice. "I graduated from high-school at seventeen. I entered the Criminal Justice field, received a Bachelor's degree, and was soon hired by the BPD. I've worked there for about five years. It was last year when I obtained the rank of Sergeant. It was the most exciting moment of my life."

"Captain Darrick thinks very highly of you. Your record is a mile long. It says you've helped take down some of Baltimore's most wanted gang members. It also says that you single handedly apprehended a serial killer named, Marcus Kyle, and saved your partner's life in the process."

"Yes, that's all true. But I wouldn't say 'single handedly'. That's stretching the truth a bit. I was the arresting officer, but I couldn't have caught him on my own. It was my partner that did most of the work on the case. He's the one who should have received the credit."

"What happened to him?"

"We finally got the warrant for his arrest and we went to get him. When we entered, Kyle was waiting for us. Martin, my partner, was shot before we could return fire. With Martin down, Kyle thought I wouldn't pursue, so he fled," Nicole paused, her lips curving. "After I read him his rights, I cuffed him to his bed and went back to Martin. I thought his was going to die on me, right there, but he pulled through."

"Wow," Trivette shook his head.

"He would tease me sometimes about taking Martial Arts lessons, but he never did after that," she laughed softly.

"You know Martial Arts?" Walker asked, raising his brow.

Nikki nodded. "I can show you if you like? My bag is in my car down stairs."

"Good. Trivette can show you to the gym. I'll meet you down there."

"Ok," she said rising, and followed Trivette out of the office. She lengthened her stride to keep up, soon walking beside him. They turned down the hall and made their way to the stairs.

"So, Nikki. Tell me, what happened between you and Mark?" He was anxious to learn and was not likely to let her simply brush the matter aside. Nicole did not want to talk about it, but knew that she could not keep avoiding it.

"Well," she breathed, "It started not long after you left for college. He started hanging out with some of his old friends. I didn't think much of it at the time. I guess I just didn't realize how much they had changed. Anyway, they introduced him to another friend of theirs, but this one I knew was bad news. I mean, everyone had heard of this guy," Nicole paused slightly as they descended the flight. "He was a dealer who had a RAP sheet as long as my arm. I told Mark to stay away from him, that he would only get into trouble, but he wouldn't listen. I'm only little sis, after all, and know nothing of the world. Then he got into drugs and Mom and Dad kicked him out," She shook her head. "It was awful, Jimmy. He would come crying to me, begging me to talk Mom and Dad into taking him back in. He apologized and swore up and down that he would quit. But he only seemed to get into more and more trouble. So, after I became a cop, I told him that I didn't want to see him until he straightened himself out. And he didn't like that very much, but what was I supposed to do?"

"Wow, I never thought that would happen. Mark was a good guy." Trivette stopped at the bottom of the stairs. The foyer was busy, but none seemed to pay them any mind.

"No, he wanted to be. He just didn't have any self-discipline. But you held him accountable, you kept him straight," she disagreed.

"I'm sorry," he said, offering some comfort.

"Aw, I'm alright," Nikki waved and continued walking. Trivette knew she was lying, but said nothing. He held open the door for her as they exited. Her little Ford pickup sat parked in front. It was an older style, but had a fresh 'candy-apple' red paint job and shiny chrome running boards. Nicole yanked open the driver's door, reaching behind the seat. "You know, I'm thinking about getting transferred to the Dallas Police Department, if this whole thing falls through," she said, slinging the pack over her shoulder.

"Really? You like it here, huh?"

"Yeah, I've been wanting to get out of Baltimore for a while now." Nikki gave the door a light shove and it slammed shut.

"That's great, Nikki," Trivette smiled, "I'm glad you came." She cocked her head, grinning widely.

"You know what, Jimmy? So am I." She laughed as he threw an arm about her shoulder, leading her back inside to the gym.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello, dear readers. I just wanted to let you know that I plan on re-writing this story. Not much of what has happened will change, but I feel that I have grown as a writer since I finished this chapter. If you have any suggestions, I would love to hear them! Thanks! 3 C.R. Lane**

The gym for the Texas Rangers had to be the biggest one Nicole had ever seen. They had nearly every type of exercise equipment made. There was even a boxing ring in the very center where two men were having a karate match.

"Wow, you guys have it made!" Nikki exclaimed upon entering. She had changed into clothes more suitable for a work out, a blue t-shirt and a pair of black shorts. Had she known she would be demonstrating her skills, she would have brought the proper karate clothing.

"Yeah, we aren't hurting, that's for sure," Trivette laughed. Nikki wandered about, still in awe of their facility.

"And you guys get to use this anytime you want?"

"Yes," said a voice behind her. She turned around to see Ranger Walker…in a karate gi.

"Ranger Walker?" Nicole nearly laughed, "You know karate?"

"A little," he smiled, "What belt are you?"

"First degree brown, Sir," she replied. He nodded and gestured to a few training mats laid out on the floor.

"Why don't you start by showing me some stances?" Nicole bobbed her head in response, kicking off her shoes and walking over to the mat. She breezed through all of the beginner poses, transitioning to the ones she had learned in the past year. Next, they moved on to the punching bag. She exhibited a few punches and several different kicks before the Ranger finally said enough.

"Very good, Sergeant Hale."

"Please, Ranger Walker. It's 'Nikki'," she exhaled, feeling sweat start to form.

"And you can just call me 'Walker'," he said, and then clapped his hands. "Well, how about a match?" Before she knew it, they were both in the boxing ring. They bowed to each other and took a few steps back. "You make the first move," said the Ranger.

Nikki shook her head. "I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't," he laughed, "Now, come on." Nikki did as he expected and advanced against him rapidly. He blocked each blow, talking to her all the while, wanting to see how focused she was. She was more talented than he had thought, but still lacked the flair of an expert.

"Your focus is excellent," Walker continued, "But you need to be more in tune to your attacker's motives. Not everybody," Nikki swung her leg in a forceful kick, but instead of ducking as he had before, Walker grasped her ankle, "Will be as nice as me." He twisted her leg and she fell face first on to the mat.

"You're a lot better than you let on," she groaned, pushing herself up. "How'd you know I was ganna do that?"

"Rule of thumb is: an attacker generally widens his eyes just before he's going to strike. Body language is key when you're in combat. You always want to read your opponent, but never show your own intensions."

"Wow," Nikki bobbed her head in agreement, "I never thought of it that way."

"And you, young lady, are very easy to read. We'll have to work on that," the Ranger smiled.

Her eyes went wide with excitement. "Then you really think I have a shot at this?" Walker laid a hand on her shoulder, looking her straight in the eye.

"I'm going to be as honest with you. There are twenty-two applicants and only one spot to fill. And you have just as much of a chance as everyone else, if not a little more."

"Especially if we put in a good word or two for you," Trivette winked, leaning on the rope that hedged the ring.

"No more than you would for anyone else," she said, firmly. "I want this job because I deserve it, not because you're my friend. I have to get it fair and square."

Trivette laughed. Now, she was starting to sound more like the girl he knew, not a skilled officer of the law. "Don't worry, I won't do too much."

"Good," she nodded, "Now what, Ran- Walker?"

He rubbed the ruddy-brown stubble that covered his face. "Well, it would be nice if we could take you on a case and see how you do under some real pressure. Let's go back up stairs and see if we have anything." And with that, the trio made their way back to the office.

Walker's Dodge Ram pickup made Nikki's look like a Tonka Toy. It was shiny gray and the tires were nearly twice the size of her's. Just riding in it made her feel like a queen.

Glancing out the window, she watched as unfamiliar buildings and shops were passed. Baltimore was as big as cities come, but Dallas somehow felt huge. She had spent her whole childhood running the streets of Northern Baltimore, then nine years of her adulthood patrolling as an officer of the law. During that time, Nicole learned the entire layout, fully capable of redrawing a map from memory. The thought of starting over was slightly disheartening, yet exciting in the same sense.

Nikki leaned forward, resting her elbows on the driver's and passenger seat.

"So, where're we going?"

"To the shooting range," Walker replied.

"You guys have a shooting range, too?" she shrieked, only then to realize how childish it sounded. Trivette laughed. She was so fascinated with their job. It was funny. Her reactions made him remember how he first felt when he had been instated onto the force.

"No," Walker smiled, rolling his eyes, "It's a sportsmen's club. The Ranger department holds a fixed membership. Each Ranger carries a card."

She nodded. The two Rangers explained to her the procedures she was expected to follow, and all the different guns she would have to use. They gave her the list of criteria that they looked for in a marksman, hoping it would help her prepare. Nicole listened intensely, soaking in the wise council. Then, something made her look up, out the front windshield. Her instincts kicked in immediately. Even from such a distant, she recognized the action.

"Stop the car," Nikki stated, her tone rigid.

"Huh?" Trivette raised a brow, unsure why he had been interrupted.

"What?" Walker's glance met hers in the reflection of the rearview mirror.

"Stop the car!" she repeated desperately as the location approached. The truck screeched to a rapid halt and Nikki bolted out the door, not bothering to close it behind her. Trivette watched her pull out her sidearm as she rushed down the sidewalk.

Jumping out of the Dodge, he and Walker followed, soon assessing the problem. A store was being held-up. A chair flew through the front window, glass shattering. They reached the store just as Nikki slipped through the door.

"Freeze!" she ordered, "Police!" The two young men shot her glances like frightened cats. The one who stood at the counter threw his hands in the air, but the one farthest from her bolted down an aisle. She thought fast, swiping a can off the counter and hurling it with more force than she seemed capable of. It flew across the store, hitting its mark. He let out a yelp as the can struck the back of his head. He stopped immediately, a hand flying to his wound. Turning about slowly, he raised both hands. "Get back here," the Sargent said through her teeth. The two Rangers came up behind her. Trivette set down the chair and slid it towards the pair.

"She hit me. Isn't that police brutality?" sniveled the young punk.

"You don't know brutality," Nikki said informatively, "Now sit down." She, then, turned to the store owner who still stood behind the counter. He was visibly shaken, but she asked anyway. "Are you alright, Sir? Can you tell me what happened?"

"Yes," he nodded. She took notice of his thick accent, but brushed that aside. "They walked in and asked if I would sell them cigarettes. I told them no, that they were too young. Then they started tearing up my store and when I tried to stop them, that one pushed me!"

"He's lying," retorted the young criminal. Nikki whipped back around, taking a step towards him.

"Was I talking to you?" she pause, simply watching him react to her anger. He went silent. "Now, I said sit down!" He sat upon her command and his friend squatted beside him, not wanting her to inflict her wrath upon him also. Taking a breath, Nikki returned to the shop keeper. "Thank you, Sir." He nodded once again, expressing his gratitude.

The Dallas police soon arrived and took the two ruffians away. After giving them the report she had taken, Nikki walked back to the truck. Trivette leaned against the pickup, talking with his partner. She smiled upon reaching them, breathing out a sigh of relief.

"Sorry 'bout that, guys."

"I can't get over how you well you handled those kids," Trivette shook his head. He had known her for most of his life and never had she ever showed any kind of hostility. In fact, she had always run away from it. This strong-willed, sassy young lady was far from the timid, meek little girl he used to protect from bullies. To watch her now, and remember, was quite comical.

"That was very impressive, Sergeant Hale," Walker added with a nod. She gave him a pleading look. "Nikki," he corrected himself, shooting her a playful smile that made her heart skip a beat. Biting back a grin, she opened the door and slid into the truck. Her companions followed suit and they continued on their way.

The next few days passed in a flash. Nicole enjoyed being able to spend time catching up with Trivette. And the many other tests were more fun than she had imagined. Before long the time had finally come for her interview with the board. They would decide her fate.

She walked into the Headquarters office without hesitation, making her way to Walker's desk. He had promised to give her a few wise words before her interview and let her read the letter of recommendation he had handed in for her. As Nikki approached, a familiar sandy mop caught her eye. He sat with Walker, seemingly in an important conversation. Her heart skipped in excitement, and then a cold chill swept over her.

"Martin?" she said calmly, sidling up behind him. He turned at the sound of her soft voice, eyes lighting up upon seeing her. Standing, he reached out to grasp her hands.

"Nikki," Martin smiled warmly.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, deeply concerned. Her thoughts flew, landing upon only one thing- her brother.

Martin's shoulders slumped. Was not she even the slightest bit happy to see him? Why did she always have to get down to business?

"You've been gone over a week," he began, "I wanted to make sure you were alright."

"Excuse us, Walker," she nodded to the Ranger, digging her fingers into Martin's arm and pulling him a few more feet away. "It took me three days to get out here, and I've been tested for another four. I told you that I would call when the decision came back. And you know full well that I can take care of myself. So, Martin, you tell me. Why are you here?"

"Uh, Nikki, I…." he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck and eyes falling to the floor. The realization struck hard. Martin never hesitated to tell her anything, except for one thing.

"Oh, no," Nikki moaned, "You didn't." His green eyes met hers, a look completely clear. Her heart filled with dread. "No, no! I told you not to!" She ran her hands through her hair, wishing to rip it out by the roots.

"I know, I know. I'm sorry! But this is important." He reached out to touch her shoulder, in attempt to calm her down. But she jerked away.

"No. I told you to stay out of it. Oh, gosh. I can't take this right now!" she nearly cried. Clutching her chest, Nikki turned and began to walk away. Martin caught hold of her shoulders, spinning his partner to face him.

"Nikki, I had to." She opened her mouth to protest, but he cut her off. "Would you just listen?" When he saw her resistance melt, he continued. "Mark left town."

"Is that all? Gosh, Martin, I thought something happened to him," she paused, taking a moment to think. "I don't care what he does."

"But that's not all," Martin insisted, letting his arms fall at his sides. "He knows you're here, and the word on the street is that he left for Dallas." Nikki looked away. Staring blankly into the distance, she recalled the last conversation she had with her brother. And it had not ended pretty. She had rejected him, told him to stay out of her life. His drug use was destroying him, and she wanted no part of it. So, she turned her back on him. There was no regret on her part, but still his last words haunted her. Mark hated her, letting a bitter addict consume all good left.

Pulling herself from thought, Nicole glanced back at Ranger Walker, who sat studying over a pile of papers. "You didn't tell him, did you?"

"No," Martin replied quietly.

"Don't," she said, her voice low with emotion. Before he could respond, a secretary called her away, muttering something about a board meeting. He returned to his seat at Walker's desk, heart heavy. He had not meant to upset her, though he had known it probably would. Her safety was threatened, and now, she wanted him to keep it secret. How such a kind, caring woman could be so thick headed, he did not know. Could not she see the danger she was in?

"Does she know?" the Ranger asked, breaking the silence.

"Know what?" Martin probed in confusion.

"That you love her." The Baltimore officer reeled back at his statement. He had never told a soul. How did this Texas Ranger know having only just met him? He was not sure he even wanted to know.

"No," Martin shook his head, letting the tension melt. "I've acted like her big brother since we met. She would never accept me that way. And if I told her, it would ruin the relationship we have. I think it's best this way." Though the situation seemed odd, Martin could not deny the relief he felt to finally tell someone. "Well, thank you for your time, Walker," he said rising, and shook the Ranger's hand. "It was nice meeting you."

"Nice meeting you, too." And with that, Martin walked away, silently praying that his partner would be safe in Walker's hands.

Nicole shut the driver's door to her pick-up, slinging her gym bag over her shoulder. Walking up to her motel room, she dug into the pocket of her jeans for her key. She pulled it out and was about to slide it into the keyhole when she noticed that the door was slightly ajar. Placing her hand on the knob, she opened it slowly and carefully peeked inside. Could the room service have forgotten to lock it? Nikki entered her room hesitantly. Everything was still in its place. She turned her attention back to the door. Tracing the faceplate and latch bolt with her finger, she searched for signs of force. There were several scratches and pits on both door and frame, and they appeared fresh.

Nicole sighed shrugging her shoulders. She straightened, then was suddenly pushed to the door, a loud bang as it shut. Someone's arm pressed hard against her back, grasping ahold of both her wrists. She let out a small yelp as her face pressed into the wood grain.

"You think you can just run off to Dallas without telling me?" a voice rasped in her ear. Nikki's heart jumped.

"Mark," she grimaced.

"So, you knew I was coming," her brother sneered, "Did your little snitch tell you? Is that why he's here?" She attempted to jerk an arm free, and he responded by twisting it. Nikki clinched her jaw to keep from crying out. "And you know what snitches get, don't you?" She swallowed hard. Stitches.

"You leave Martin out of this!" she croaked, her voice muffled by the door.

"Ah, it's too late, sweet sister. He's made his choices, and you've made yours."

"What choice-"

"You betrayed me!" Mark shouted, turning her around swiftly and pinning her arms above her head. Nikki wrinkled her nose. He reeked of marijuana. And at that distance, the smell was as over powering as he was. He was too close for her to kick, a clear sign of his knowledge. "I can't go anywhere without cops crawling all over me!" he said bitterly, though Nikki had filtered through his colorful metaphors.

"You've done all this yourself. You promised you would always be there for me, remember? And where have you been? No, you betrayed me!" A loud clap rang in her ear. She gasped, turning away. Tingling pain flushed the side of her face. He raised a hand to strike her again, but stopped. With fully force, Mark shoved her onto the floor and fled out the door.

Nikki looked up as he closed the door behind him and lifted a hand to touch her hot cheek. The fact that her brother had threatened her did not matter. He had done it before. But he swore to get back at Martin. Panic swept her. If anything happened to her partner, she would never forgive herself.


End file.
